Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-30
STRING UP BY THE WRISTS.
Charges Against 0Giciais OF Sing.
Sing Prison.

\ New York telegram says: Lawyer
Irving Ward, of this city, is about to
prefer charges to the Governor against
the authorities at Sing Sing prison.
He has large amount of testimony,
collected during the past year, showing
that extreme cruelty marks the treat
ment of the prisoners. An ex-convict,
who kept Il minute record during his
imprisonment, related to-day some Of
the things he had seen. He A.
leges that Principal-Keeper Con-
naughton systematically mulcts pri-
sonels' friends by getting orders
for money from the convict
on threat OF severe labor or punish
ment. Concerning the charges of cru
city, here are some of the incidents re-
lated by him: "There are two methods
of torture-hanging by the wrists and
confinement in the dark cell Keeper
Connaughton has publicly said that the
feet of suspended prisoners touched
the floor That is false. The prisoners
wristsare handcuffed in a sliding board,
which can be fixed at various heights
by an iron hook. Two strapping Off
GERS take the handcuffed man and lift
him up until the chains of the handouts
can he let down on the hooks. Then
his body is allowed to drop, and
his feet cnn be seen 10 hang six
inches or more above the floor. Con
naughton reports the time of suspen-
sion as from thirty seconds to one MI
mute. II is almost invariably several
minutes, often ten. The pressure of the
steel on the wrists is the most racking
torture. The fingers are spread out for
the better circulation OF the blood.
Many time | have seen Connaughton
beat the prisoner on the hands with his
blackthorn stick to make him close his
fingers. and have seen him strike the
man on the head until the scalp was
open and the blood rushed ont. The
victim would shrek to him; For
Gods sake, Mr. Connaughton, let me
down. But there was usually no re
lease until the convict WIS insensible.
/ have seen eighteen men hung up in
one morning. Some Of the humane
keepers can corroboratc this record by
their testimony.
What is the offence that brings
down this punishment? Usually the
victim inability to do the entire task
set him by a contractors agent, who
supervises the convicts' work. and is
called the instructor. Every evening
tins man, whose duty it is 10 see that
his boss gets every ounce OF labor ont
OF the conyicts, draws M report 81
the work done. If a man has failed Of
his full task Spy ever so little note Is
made of the TACT. The report is signed
10y the squad-kcepcr and Is handed in
to Principal-keeper COnnaughtOn the
next morning. When the victim steps
out Of his cell to tall into line he IS
told to 20 to Connaughton's room. His
task may have been too much for his
strength: but he is allowed no hearing,
hut strung mp.
Within my personal knowledge
there have been two cases whore men
have suffered the loss of hand in the
most horrible agony to escape being !
strung up. In November, 1886, a
moulder in Keeper Brolliss foundry,
whose strength was not equal to the F.
labofgiven him, plunged his hand into
a ladle of molten iron. The flesh fell |
of the member, the bones shrivelled |
and twisted together, and the man
tainted away. His name slips my |
memory, but have it on paper. IN |
the following December William What !
len, working in the foundry, did the
same thing. saw him plunge in his |
irm to the elbow and fall unconscious
Testimony of this nature will b"laid |
before the Governor Immediately.